Lee calls Mongolia a 'close friend,' pledges deeper ties

President Lee Jae Myung has described Mongolia as a "close friend" and vowed to expand cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of both countries as he attended a state dinner hosted by Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh in Ulaanbaatar, Lee's office said.

"Korea and Mongolia are countries that regard each other as close friends and share deep trust and a special bond," Lee was quoted by his spokesperson Kang Yu-jung as saying during the banquet on Friday evening.

"I will continue to expand cooperation with Mongolia so that [its benefits] can be felt in the everyday lives of the peoples of both countries," he added.

He expressed hope that based on the countries' longstanding mutual understanding and trust, the friendship between their peoples and their strategic partnership will continue to deepen.

During the dinner, Lee presented the Mongolian president with a traditional Korean bow and arrow in recognition of the two countries' shared archery traditions, as well as a smartwatch featuring the latest technology, the presidential office said.

The banquet was attended by around 40 South Korean business leaders, including Koo Ja-eun, chairman of LS Group, and SK Group Vice Chairman Lee Hyung-hee.

Yonhap